Crisis spurs spike in 'suburban survivalists'

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Six months ago, Jim Wiseman didn't even have a spare nutrition bar in his kitchen cabinet. Now, the 54-year-old businessman
and father of five has a backup generator, a water filter, a grain mill and a 4-foot-tall pile of emergency food tucked in his home in the expensive
San Diego suburb of La Jolla. Wiseman isn't alone. Emergency supply retailers and military surplus stores nationwide have seen business boom in the
past few months as an increasing number of Americans spooked by the economy rush to stock up on gear that was once the domain of hardcore
survivalists. These people snapping up everything from water purification tablets to thermal blankets shatter the survivalist stereotype: they are
mostly urban professionals with mortgages, SUVs, solid jobs and a twinge of embarrassment about their newfound hobby.

Found this article to be very interesting sign of how people are reacting. It also serves as a warning that if you haven't started preparing, you'd
better get to it. A collapse is not going to wait for you to finish packing.

Count me and my hubby in too, after I stumbled onto this site late last year.We are building up our food storage and getting bug out and 'camping'
gear together. There's still a few more things I want to get but we're working on it the best we can, as much as our finances will allow.
ETA: even our chihuahuas are getting in on it by storing extra dog food and piddle pads

This is my dirty little secret that I only talk about with one person. It's not a hobby for me, it's an acknowledgment of what could be a very
grave situation. I don't dare bring it up at work where my coworkers look at the TV and get all excited that the "market is up today!" Yeah,
right. They shop for new clothes and I shop for a mosquito proof hammock. I've gone from chuckling at the survivalists to reading their boards.
ATS and other sites have given me great information.

Hurricane Ike hit and I was ready thanks to what I learned from others. Oh and FEMA? The nearest FEMA center was 23 miles away, in a fairly wealthy
neighborhood close to NASA, where people had access to city water. We are all on well water out here. So, it's true, FEMA is a joke.

Something that I thought of the other day, I guess I can throw it in here. If you have dogs and have to walk out of your situation with them, your
dogs may need boots or some kind of paw protection. If they spend most of their time in a house or back yard, their pads may be too soft for long
distance walking. There are plenty of sites that sell them.

If something does happen, we know we are on our own. Look at Hurricane Katrina victims. How long did it take to get help? And today, look at the areas
that were affected. Notice anything? Yep. Nothing has been done. The government is even stealing land by billing people for not cutting grass on their
destroyed property. If the insurance companies or aid-relief organizations were really in it to help people, something would have been done by now to
help the victims.

If the emergency is big enough, both my cat and my dog are very old. I would shoot and bury them because they would suffer without me around. And it
would be the humane thing to do. But if the emergency didn't call for me to leave the city There are plenty of available food resources. I live right
next to the Truckee river, not far from game hunting of any kind, my animals would eat what we eat until things got back to some semblance of
normalcy.

For us, it's not a hobby, but a way of life...to be as independent as possible has been a lifelong endeavor ....my biggest lesson has been that
forming sustainable communities will get you MUCH further down the road than going lone wolf....in most cases...

I'll feed and care for them the best way I can, just like always. If they need to they can eat whatever I'm eating. I'd find a way to get what they
need.
And no I'm not planning to kill and/or eat them. I'd have to be dying first.
I know dogs arn't people but you might as well ask someone what they'd do if they had no food for their children.

Funny: I spend more at the Bass Pro Super Store (they have it all!) now instead of at the cosmetic counter or on clothing or shoes,LOL!

And THIS is from a girly-girl who absolutely believes that able to take care of one's self is simply something that must be done because I sure
don't see anyone else that's going to step up and provide for our needs???

Although I never had any deep hopes that the Obamessiah would really change much of anything, I had this vague idea that things might improve some.
It didnt take me long to fall right back into my usual cynicism, though.

And now with things taking an even larger turn for the worse, I myself have finally gotten around to doing some survival research and begun the task
of gathering equipment and supplies "just in case". My family thinks I'm a little nutty, but I believe when push comes to shove, they'll begin
doing the same.

I have to say that in the beginning, I used to read these threads and chuckle to myself, thinking "what a collection of loons".

Instead, I have oodles of supplies, my garden produces food, and is ever more productive.

I have learned where local food supplies can be gathered in the wild, and I have even learned to make basic fishing equipment so that I can catch fish
locally.

As and when the sitx arrives, I hope that I will be somewhat prepared, and will be able to sit in my home in relative comfort. Without the need to go
out and forrage too often. At least until the initial "blast" of angry/scared/desperate people cools down, and the "prepared" can start to come
out of hiding.

I look forward to seeing most of you after any sitx, right here on ATS... assuming of course, that the interweb is still here after sitx.

Trust me,many days I force myself "out the door" to do something,even if it's just to go to the gym because I'd much rather not bother,LOL!

I love the "Gee...what's a lil' lady like you doing buying that stuff?" looks I get and when I ask questions,the sales-guys seem to get all
constricted or something...as if a "mere girl" couldn't possibly know the things I do or have the stuff I have on hand.
Please.

This is an adiction! I started a couple of years ago building my first BOB and I can't stop!! I live on an island so I can't go anywhere but here in
Puerto Rico there is a lot of mountains and forest that you can Bug out to. I just don't mention anything to anyone except my wife people may think
I'm crazy but I know better.

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